Ontario Hepatitis Treatment

The drugs used to treat hepatitis C can have several side-effects that can be significant, although they may not affect everyone in the same way or to the same degree.

The most common side-effects are flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, aches and pains and decreased appetite. Other side-effects may include confusion, nausea, anemia, depression, itching and skin rashes.

Side-effects are usually worse at the beginning of treatment, and as your body becomes used to the drugs, side-effects should become less severe. However, fatigue and depression may increase over the course of treatment.

Treatment may not be appropriate for some patients, including those with certain pre-existing medical conditions, as well as pregnant women. Very advanced liver disease can actually worsen with therapy. If you are offered treatment, your health care provider will be able to provide more information.

How will you respond to treatment?

There are three ways to define your response to drug therapy:

Non-response:

No significant reduction in the virus level after 12 weeks of your treatment period.

End of treatment response:

Undetectable virus level at the end of your treatment period. This response does not necessarily mean that you are clear of the virus.

Sustained Viral Response (SVR):

This means that the virus cannot be detected immediately after therapy and for six months afterwards. Recent research shows that 99% of people with an SVR will be clear of the virus for at least four years, and it is believed their response will last indefinitely. Recent studies show that that the majority of people with an SVR will enjoy a reversal of underlying liver damage, even from the stage of cirrhosis.

Relapses

The hepatitis C virus may return to detectable levels even though it was undetectable during treatment. Some people who relapse may respond to re-treatment. While a Sustained Viral Response is not usually achieved in people who relapse, there is often some improvement in the liver upon re-treatment. Preliminary data suggests that about 10% of non-responders and about 20% of relapsing patients achieve a Sustained Viral Response. Even if you do not respond to therapy, or if you experience a relapse after your therapy, you should have regular follow-up visits with your health care provider.